NDA attacks Prime Minister, government on JPC report on 2G scam

NEW DELHI: BJP-ledNDA on Saturday wondered how the JPC draft report on 2G spectrum allocation issue had exonerated Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister P Chidambaram without examining them and appealed to all members of the committee to reject the document in toto.

The NDA top brass held a meeting at the residence of its working president L K Advani to discuss the strategy for Parliament's budget session resuming tomorrow. There were ample indications that the opposition will raise a storm over a slew of issues, including the JPC draft report on 2G spectrum, coal mines allocation scam and alleged misuse of CBI.

The NDA is miffed at the contents of the leaked JPC report, especially the clean chit given to Singh and Chidambaram. It also expressed resentment over A Raja, former Telecom Minister and the main accused in 2G scam, not being called by the JPC though he had offered to depose before it.

"It is Parliament, the people and the country that are betrayed through such acts of dishonesty. The NDA, therefore, appeals to all the members of JPC to reject this report in toto," the opposition alliance said.

The Prime Minister came in for a strong attack from the opposition parties which accused him of being responsible for the problems plaguing the country.

"Timidity, uncertainty, loss of direction and unmatched absence of leadership characterizes the conduct of the present Prime Minister who sits atop the most corrupt government since independence, behaving as if he sees nothing, hears nothing and thus supinely does nothing despite the loud ringing of the alarm bell of mounting chaos," a statement issued by the NDA alleged.

Advani told reporters that the coal mine scam and reports of government vetting the CBI report on it- which was to be submitted to the Supreme Court- in a bid to "dilute" it will figure on the first day of Parliament after the recess on April 22.

The NDA also condemned the naming of former Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee in the JPC draft report for having "knowingly" causing losses to the exchequer in 2G allocation.

"The NDA collectively and with one voice totally condemns the manner in which the JPC draft, as per accounts, is charging the former Prime Minister and the present convener of NDA, Shri A B Vajpayee, with knowingly having caused losses to the exchequer.

"This is utterly and absolutely condemnable. Such conclusions in the draft report of JPC, whilst simultaneously clearing Dr Manmohan Singh's name, through a variety of sleights of hand, is an act of unmatched perfidy," the statement issued by the NDA said.

Advani said the NDA expressed "outrage" at the UPA government's attitude in naming Vajpayee and some of his former cabinet colleagues, especially when he was unwell for sometime now.

"A formal report be brought up and adverse comments are made out against him. It is shocking. It violates all norms of even decency," Advani said.

In its 5-point poser to the government, the NDA said: "Who actually has drafted this purported report of the JPC - the Chairman or some proxy of the UPA."

On the JPC draft report charging Raja with misleading the Prime Minister, the NDA said "How possibly can a minister of the cabinet mislead the Prime Minister?".

The opposition alliance also questioned where does the collective responsibility of a government lie.

The NDA also expressed its mounting concern at the state of the nation under the "continuing misdeeds" of this "diarchal" leadership of Dr Manmohan Singh and Smt Sonia Gandhi, "resulting in drift, gross maladministration and rampant corruption" in the present UPA regime.

"Our borders, both in the West and in the East are breached with impunity. Our Finance Minister abjectly circles the globe seeking investments as if India were a mendicant. Our Defence Minister fails totally to lead his ministry, riddled as it is by corruption," the NDA said.